Lorena Wiebes: The undisputed queen of speed destroys rivals again at Tour de France Femmes

Team DSM’s Lorena Wiebes delivered an astounding display of power on Stage 5 of the Tour de France Femmes to score her second stage win at the race on Thursday's ride into Saint-Dié-des-Vosges.

It lends a satisfying symmetry to the Tour, as Wiebes’ win kicks off the second half of the race just as it did the first, her victory on the Champs-Elysees setting the bar high for the rider who is currently the ‘winningest’ in pro cycling.

This latest success brings up win number 17 of the year for Wiebes, who has more under her belt in 2022 than any cyclist in the pro ranks, either male or female. It represents a staggering conversion rate of almost 50%, as Wiebes has raced 36 days so far this season.

This doesn’t tell the full story, though, as of course, not every race day offers an opportunity for the fast women. This renders the statistic even more impressive.

When it comes to bunch sprints however, Wiebes’ dominance is undeniable. She’s lost just once in a sprint this season, to world champion Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) at Brugge-de-Panne. The two have gone head-to-head five times in 2022 with Wiebes taking four wins to Balsamo’s one. In the pure sprinting stakes, Wiebes is simply unassailable, and at just 23 years of age, the Dutch woman could become one of the most dominant riders in a generation, if she continues on this stellar trajectory.

Following the race, she was keen to attribute her success at least in part to her team-mates, who spent the larger part of the longest stage in modern women’s cycling history working on the front of the bunch for Wiebes. With the victory, Wiebes adds to her tally in the points competition, as she looks to claim the green jersey that she currently wears on behalf of Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) as her own.

It would be a just reward for a rider who has proven herself to be head and shoulders above her rivals in 2022 when it comes to fast finishes.

While she began her year slightly off the pace, Wiebes quickly came up to speed in March with three wins in seven days at GP Oetingen, Ronde van Drenthe and Nokere Koerse. A week later came her most notable defeat of the season, the aforementioned loss to Balsamo at the so-called ‘sprinters world championship’ of Brugge-de-Panne, but she bounced back two weeks later, scoring victory at Scheldeprijs.

Since then, winning has become a habit. Her visit to the UK in June resulted in success on every possible occasion, as she steamrollered the competition at both the RideLondon Classique and the Women’s Tour. She maintained her winning ways in Belgium, taking four out of six stages at the Baloise Ladies Tour, missing out to Ellen van Dijk on the two remaining stages – one a time trial, in which she came second, and one a breakaway win from the Trek-Segafredo rider.

Wiebes opted to ride in Belgium instead of at the Giro Donne, avoiding her main rivals – the likes of Balsamo, Vos, Chiara Consonni (Valcar-Travel & Service) and Marta Bastianelli (UAE-Team-ADQ). It was a decision that paid off, as Wiebes cleared up at Baloise, taking both the points and sprint jerseys and coming second in the overall. The confidence she gained carried over to Paris, where she put in the first of two authoritative rides to get the better of all of her adversaries.

Wiebes attributes her increased output in part to strength training, and it’s clear that the strategy is working for her, as her power data for Sunday’s first stage showed – she delivered over 1200 watts on her way to victory on the Champs.

The numbers are impressive and there are rumours of a move to the most high profile team in the Women’s World Tour, SD Worx, which could find Wiebes becoming the highest-paid rider in the peloton. As its undisputed speed queen and a guarantee of future victories, it’s a logical progression for a rider who is already blowing all serious competitors out of the water.

As the women’s peloton expands, the depth in the sprint field is arguably the best it’s ever been. Wiebes looks set to become one of the brightest stars in the sport, as her stock rises and her power consistently dazzles the best of the rest.

- - -

Stream the Tour de France Femmes live and on-demand on discovery+. You can also watch all the action live on eurosport.co.uk.